Professional negligence occurs when there is a breach of the duty of care between a professional and their client. “Duty of care” is a common law arrangement (with the precedence set with landmark tort cases) where the client expects a certain level of professionalism, standards, and precautions that are commonly held by the profession in question. Medical malpractice, as a subset of professional negligence, means that the patient expects the doctor and their subordinates to hold to common standards – and law requirements – that prevent undue harm and distress to them while the patient is under their care. [Read more…]